There is Always Hope
by FireflyoftheShadowWolves
Summary: This is the rewritten version of my original story There is Always Hope. It had happened five years ago, it had changed them all. Now there was a lead on the little girl that had been taken from them, will they be able to keep her safe or will events that have been put in motion prevent them from keeping their little girl from having to fight!
1. Chapter 1

**I don't own the Avengers or Harry Potter.**

**I do own my OC, please don't use her or copy her character.**

**This is the rewritten version of 'There is Always Hope', I hope that everyone likes it as much as I have like rewriting it. The basic storyline is still the same but a fair few things have been adjust to fit the timeline and to give the story more background. I would also like to thank Aeroza for being the Beta Reader for this story.**

**Warning: This fic will be AU and will be Fem Harry, there will also be Bad!Dumbledore, and Dumbledore and most of the Weasley's Bashing.**

**But Fem Harry is not a Horcrux in this fic.**

**Each chapter will be between 1500 and 2500 words long.**

* * *

**There is Always Hope - Chapter 1**

* * *

_**Washington DC - August 2001 , Barton-Romanoff Apartment, 12:39**_

* * *

"She is so cute Tasha." Maria Hill commented quietly to Natasha.

"Thanks, she was worth all the stress and pain to get her here," Natasha said while holding onto the infant.

The six of them were sitting in Clint and Natasha's Apartment, their Director; Nick Fury, had only just left since he had been eager to meet two of his best agent's new daughter. Now Clint and Natasha, and their friends Melinda May, Phil Coulson, Maria Hill and Bobbi Morse were left admiring the little one month infant, Taylor Ruby Barton.

"So are you finally going to tell us who gets to be her godparents?" Phil asked the two new parents as Clint saw Natasha nod, did so, "Yes, we will tell you. We decided that Maria and Bobbi should be her godparents, but we promise if we have another child, Mel and Phil can be their Godparents." Clint told them.

It had been hard to decide who to make Taylor's Godparents, but in the end they had decided mostly on Maria and Bobbi as Maria had been recruited by Clint, and Bobbi had been trained by Natasha, and they felt that they could trust them to look after things if there was anything wrong occurred, or anything should happen to them.

"I thought for sure that you would be choosing either Mel or Phil, I mean you have known both of them longer. But all the same I am honoured to be this little one's Godmother… Or one of them anyway." Bobbi said while hearing Taylor coo softly.

"Same here. I am more than happy to be her Godmother, even if I do have to share with Bobbi," Maria teased her friend, and then gotten a playful punch to the shoulder from Bobbi as she did.

Natasha looked over at her other two friends, and she hoped that they weren't upset by their decision, and if Clint ever persuaded her to have a another baby, Mel and Phil would be the only ones she would consider for Godparents.

"We aren't bothered that you chose Bobbi and Maria at all, we will still get to be in her life just as much as they are. Their names will just be on the forms," Melinda assured them and she was still the only one that could read Natasha, and at time like this it was very helpful, at other times Natasha did wish that her friend didn't have that particular skill.

"Thanks guys." Clint murmured while looking relieved as Natasha.

They stayed for a while longer; Bobbi and Maria made a point of holding Taylor again before they had to leave. Bobbi and Melinda had a mission to go on, Phil had a mission to run, and Maria had meeting with a couple of higher level agents to go to.

* * *

_**Washington DC - December 2001; Barton-Romanoff Apartment, 16:00**_

* * *

"Do you think it will always be like this?" Clint asked.

He and Natasha had been away on a two day mission, and now they couldn't wait to get back to their six month old baby. Who they had to leave with a couple of agents that Director Fury and they themselves had background checked as Phil, Mel, Maria and Bobbi were all unavailable to look after Taylor.

"Missing her like this, in some ways I hope so, in others... I hope it might get a little easier as it is very distracting and getting distracted could get us killed." Natasha only told him.

Clint nodded as he unlocked the door and disabled the security alarm, it was strangely quiet and it put both Natasha and himself on high alert. They moved quickly and silently through their apartment; finding one of the agents that should have been looking after Taylor… Were dead in the hallway that lead to Taylor's own nursery.

Both of them rushed into the nursery, and instantly found the second agent dead on the floor of the nursery with dazed-like blank eyes, and other than her, the room was empty and yet to their worry… There was no sign of Taylor.

Clint had called in for back up, and tried to comfort Natasha; who appeared to be in shock. Director Fury had come to their apartment himself along with Maria, and none of them could figure out how the kidnapper had gotten into the apartment.

Just like the Medical Examiner couldn't figure out how the agents that had been looking after Taylor, had been killed, and they were both perfectly healthy; other than the fact that they were dead. There were also no wounds, no poison in their systems, no broken bones, they were just dead with no apparent cause.

Clint and Natasha took months off to search of any lead to find their daughter with no luck, eventually Phil and Melinda sat them down and got them to talk and both came back to SHIELD with the promise that the case would be kept open but only Director Fury, Maria, Phil, Melinda, Bobbi and themselves would know about it.

Every now and then Natasha and Clint would take a couple of days to try, and find Taylor again with no luck.

* * *

_**Godric's Hollow - October 2002; Potter's Cottage, 21:48**_

* * *

"James, it's time to put Taylor to bed," Lily gently said while coming up to her husband and daughter, "Okay, okay. She spoils all our fun doesn't she Tay?" James agreed and handed Taylor over to her mother.

Lily was just about to head out of the room and upstairs to Taylor's nursery when she felt the wards around their cottage were suddenly breached, and one look at James told her that he had felt it too.

"It's him, take Taylor and run Lily! I will give you time to escape." James ordered while Lily shook her head, "No! I won't go without you!" Lily exclaimed yet he gently shoved them away as they heard the door, "You have to keep Taylor safe, Lily, please go!" James shouted.

Finally Lily nodded and rushed up the stairs with Taylor hoping to either portkey or apparate out and alert the Order of the Phoenix of the attack. Only she found that she couldn't apparate because she had left her wand downstairs and that they portkey wouldn't work, Voldemort must have put up anti-portkey wards before he came in.

She quickly barricaded herself and Taylor in the nursery, then she heard a thump and footsteps coming up the stairs. Lily just knew that it was Voldemort that was coming, and that James was dead. Lily told her little girl while kissing her forehead gently, "Taylor, Mummy and Daddy love you. Always remember that, my beautiful, brave girl."

Then she turn to face the most dangerous Dark Lord of this century as he blasted through the door, and she even begged him to spear her daughter's life, pleading with him to have mercy she was just a baby. The last thing Lily saw was a flash of green, and then nothing.

Taylor watched the man in the black robes curiously, though she was a little uncertain that her Mummy hadn't got up yet the man; The Dark Lord known as Voldemort, pointed his wand at her and then whispered, "Avada Kedavra."

She saw a bright golden light come around her just as the spell was whispered, and then quickly felt pain on her forehead that made her start crying, then there was a crack, and a couple of minutes later a man in purple robes came into the room.

He looked a the empty robes and wand that had clattered on the floor after the spell had been cast yet the man smiled to himself, and knew everything was going to plan… Now he just had to wait for Hagrid to come pick the girl up, and take young Taylor to her aunt's as he couldn't be having young Sirius Black on obtaining her; Magical Vow or not.

Once he had contacted Hagrid, he apparated to Number 4 Privet Drive, Surrey, and waited for Hagrid to arrive with the girl. Minerva had tried to stop him from leaving Taylor with her aunt, but a mild Compulsion Charm had her forcibly agreeing that he was right.

That night on the 31st of October, 2002, Albus Dumbledore left little Taylor Potter on the doorstep of her aunt's house.

Yes, everything was going according to his well laid out plans.

* * *

_**February 2004; SHIELD Base - Location Classified, 04:07**_

* * *

This should not be happening… It wasn't right, and it wasn't fair to her little girl, how could she have let this happen. Natasha thought while she was sitting on the floor in the private bathroom that was connected to their rooms within this SHIELD Base. Clint was still asleep, and she had come in here to try and prove to herself that this was not happening, and had failed.

Stupid tests, why did they have to be positive?

"Tasha? What's going on?" Clint asked sleepily.

Obviously Clint was not asleep anymore, but for once she found that she didn't know what to say to him, they had always been able to talk to each other about anything and right now she didn't have a clue how to tell him.

Instead she showed him the positive pregnancy tests that she had been agonizing over for the last half an hour. Hopefully Clint would know what to say otherwise they might just end up sitting in silence, he took one look at the pregnancy tests that Tasha was show him and he instantly knew why she was so confused and upset.

"Oh Tasha, we aren't betraying Taylor's memory. We will still look her for, and it's not like we planned this, if she were here I am sure that she would want a younger sibling." Clint said trying to comfort her.

"But she's not here Clint. We failed her, we haven't been able to find her and what if we fail this little one too. I can't go through that again Clint," Natasha murmured for once saying exactly how she was feeling to him.

"We won't fail again Tasha, and Taylor is still out there; We will find her eventually, I promise we will. We can keep this little one safe, I promise." Clint told her, as right now he needed to reassure her, he knew that she didn't fully believe him though.

"Okay, you know I believe about half of what just came out of your mouth. Right?" Natasha commented in slightly better spirits.

"Oh, I know. Just as long as you believe that I am just as happy about this baby as I was about Taylor, and that we will get through this; That is enough for now. Now how about we get back to bed, it's early even for us." Clint grumbled at the end.

Natasha laughed and nodded as Clint had never liked early mornings, and she followed him out of the bathroom and then back into their sleeping quarters.

* * *

_**Washington DC - June 2004 ; Barton-Romanoff Apartment, 18:10**_

* * *

They hadn't told anyone about the pregnancy other than a trusted SHIELD Doctor and Director Fury, and they had decided to also wait to tell their friends until a bit later in the pregnancy. Which was why they now had Phil, Mel, Maria and Bobbi in their apartment eating Chinese for dinner.

Natasha was wondering which one of them would ask why they were really here first, she had bet that it would be Maria, while Clint thought it would be Mel.

"So not that it isn't nice to get together, but why are we really here?" Maria asked yet they were amused by Natasha while having a hand out, "Oh yes, pay up Clint." Natasha said holding out her hand for the ten dollars that she had Clint had bet on who would ask first.

"Really, that is the last time I bet on you Mel." Clint whined as he handed the money over, all four of their friends looked amused still, it was nice to be like this again as their friendships had suffered when Taylor was taken, and it was nice to be almost like normal again.

"What exactly were you betting on?" Melinda asked.

"Who would ask 'Why you were really here' first, and I thought rightly that it would be Maria, yet Clint thought that you would ask first Mel," Natasha explained.

"Well, are you going to tell us why we are here?" Phil asked before Bobbi added, "Other than the free Chinese and company that is." Seeing there was no time to waste, "We wanted to tell you that I'm pregnant, so obviously I won't be in the field for a while and Mel and Phil get to be godparents." Natasha told them softly.

There was a long pause in which all of them knew that the others were thinking about Taylor, and the last time that Natasha had told them that she was pregnant… "Congratulations guys." Bobbi said to them.

"Thanks, just because we are having this baby doesn't mean that we are going to stop looking for Taylor. It just mean that when we find her she will have a little brother or sister," Clint told them.

"Of course. We never thought that you would, we haven't either." Melinda promised.

* * *

**So this is Chapter 1 redone, I hope you liked it and I will just let you know the timeline that we have gone through in this chapter.**

**Story Timeline:**

**Taylor is born in July 2001**

**She is kidnapped in December 2001**

**Lily and James Potter are killed by Voldemort and Taylor goes to the Dursley's in October 2002**

**Natasha finds out she is pregnant in February 2004**

**Firefly**


	2. Chapter 2

**I don't own the Avengers or Harry Potter.**

**I do own my OC, please don't use her or copy her character.**

**Warning this fic will be AU and will be Fem Harry, there will also be Bad!Dumbledore and Dumbledore and most of the Weasley's bashing. I would also like to thank Aeroza for being the Beta Reader for this story.**

**But Fem Harry is not a Horcrux in this fic.**

**Each chapter will be between 1500 and 2500 words long (This chapter although being slightly more then that a little).**

* * *

**Previously:**

"Thanks, just because we are having this baby doesn't mean that we are going to stop looking for Taylor. It just mean that when we find her she will have a little brother or sister." Clint told them.

"Of course. We never thought that you would, we haven't either." Melinda promised.

* * *

**There is Always Hope - Chapter 2**

* * *

_**Washington DC - November 2004; Barton-Romanoff Apartment, 14:27**_

* * *

It had been a little over a week since Natasha had given birth to their second little girl; who they had named Kinsley Taya Barton. Her middle name was in honour of her older sister Taylor, and as promised, Phil and Mel were named Kinsley's Godparents.

Phil and Mel been over yesterday to meet their Goddaughter, Maria and Bobbi hadn't been able to make it over then; which is why both were here now.

Bobbi currently had Kinsley in her arms, and she had an uncertain look on her face, Natasha could guess why she wasn't sure she should be holding the little girl, when her older sister was missing, and Taylor was her goddaughter; which was something that Bobbi had taken very seriously.

"Bobbi it's okay to love her, and it doesn't mean you love Taylor any less. I struggled a lot with it when I was pregnant with Kinsley, but when I first held her… I knew that I would love them equally, always." Natasha told her old rookie, hoping this helped her.

"Yeah, I know... But it doesn't stop me from feeling bad," Bobbi mumbled sadly before getting gently patted on the shoulder, "When we get a chance, we can take some time and see if we can track anything down on Taylor, Bobbi." Maria offered as Bobbi just nodded.

"Thanks guys, it means a lot that you haven't given up." Clint said to them then.

"Right, it's my turn Bobbi." Maria said, holding her arms out to take Kinsley, and Bobbi pouted before she reluctantly handed the baby over to Maria, while Clint and Natasha laughed at them.

After Bobbi and Maria had left, Natasha went and put Kinsley down for her nap in what had been the spare room, before they found out that she was pregnant. They hadn't been able to bring themselves to touch Taylor's Nursery at all, so it was just the same as it had been; other than having been cleaned about once a month.

As she looked down at her younger daughter she could clearly see the differences between her and Taylor and she was grateful for those differences, Taylor had looked almost exactly like her with her auburn hair and green eyes. Where as Kinsley, looked more like her Dad as she had blue eyes and blonde hair; which looked like in time would have natural auburn highlights. The differences helped, and it wouldn't have been quite so easy if Kinsley had looked exactly like Taylor.

"Hey, everything okay in here?" Clint asked coming into the nursery and putting an arm around her waist.

"Yeah, I'm just seeing the differences between Kinsley and Taylor. I hope that Kinsley keeps her blue eyes… Remember how Taylor was born with her eyes already green, and it shocked the hell out of the nurse." Natasha commented while recalling the events.

"Yes, the nurse said it was most unusual for a newborn to have any other colour than blue eyes. I hope she keeps her blue eyes too." Clint agreed.

* * *

_**Washington DC - August 2006; Barton-Romanoff Apartment, 15:46**_

* * *

It had been a little over eighteen months since Kinsley had been born, it had been very difficult to leave her when they had to go on missions. But they had come to an agreement with Fury that either one of them, or Maria, Phil, Mel or Bobbi, would be available to stay with Kinsley.

That had helped put all of their minds at rest and it had worked well so far, Kinsley had grown into a bubbly, curious toddler, and she was starting to speak now. The six adults in her life had become mostly fluent in toddler talk, which Bobbi had complained was harder than learning a normal language.

Natasha was having some alone time with her little girl as Clint, Bobbi, Mel and Phil were all on missions and Maria was stuck in meetings all day she had decided to climb the ranks of SHIELD rather than stay in the field.

"Mama?" Kinsley's questioning tone brought her out of her thoughts.

"Yes Kins, what is it?" Natasha asked while giving her full attention to her daughter, yet she sighed inwardly by her question, "What in there?" Kinsley questioned, pointing at the door opposite her room.

"That is you big sister's room, you know Daddy and I have told you about Taylor." Natasha explained to her since they had been telling Kinsley about Taylor for her whole life, Natasha wasn't sure how much she was understanding, but she hoped that it would help Kinsley if they should ever find Taylor.

"Tay?" Kinsley asked her curiously with one word.

"Yes, Tay's room baby." Natasha confirmed yet sighed at her younger daughter's next words.

"See Tay." Kinsley demanded and make Natasha now know that Kinsley did understand that they did have another family member, and obviously she thought that Taylor should be in her room, and that would also make sense to a toddler of her age.

"Oh Kinsley, Taylor was taken by someone a long time ago, and we haven't been able to find her yet. Do you want to see inside her room still?" Natasha asked with a knowing look, "Yea." Kinsley said determinedly.

"Okay," Natasha agreed as she picked Kinsley up, and walked over to Taylor's room. She then opened the door and walked in, and quietly showed her younger daughter around her older sister's room.

After Kinsley had allowed them to leave Taylor's room she had endless questions about her sister and of which Natasha did her best to answer, until Kinsley tired herself out with her continual questioning.

* * *

_**March 2007; No.4 Privet Drive, Surrey, London, England; 10:20**_

* * *

Six-year-old Taylor Lily Potter, was sitting in her cupboard… again, after being thrown into it about half an hour ago by her fat whale of an uncle.

Taylor JUST didn't understand what she did to make her aunt, uncle and cousin hate her so much. But it must have been something big, since Dudley; from all the times she lived here, was never hit or starved, or even forced to sleep in a cupboard. Dudley also has two bedrooms and he was pampered, spoilt, and given anything and everything that he ever wanted.

Her tummy decided to grumble at this point, and she whimpered miserably since she hadn't eaten for three days because she had burnt the bacon for breakfast, three mornings ago. Sometimes she really wished she had a relative out there who would come and save her. Mostly to take her away from her relatives.

Realistically, she knew that her only living relatives were her aunt, uncle and cousin; after her parents were killed in a car cash when she was a baby. That was how, by her aunt, said that she gotten that ugly scar on her forehead. The scar was in the shape of a lightning bolt, and was in the right side of her forehead; just above her eyebrow.

Taylor didn't know where she had got her looks from because it definitely wasn't her aunt, she was blond and skinny; greatly resembling a horse. Whereas Taylor had auburn hair and bright emerald green eyes, she was also very small and skinny too; but she was quite sure that that was because she was forced to sleep in a cupboard, and was starved on a regular basis.

Taylor also had never seen a picture of her mother and father, her aunt either didn't have any or she had hated her sister as much as she hated Taylor and didn't have them on display.

Just then while stiffening, her aunt opened her cupboard door, "We are going out. You need to clean the lounge and the bathroom, before we get back," Aunt Petunia ordered with a sneer and she walked away, a couple of minutes later she heard the front door slam shut.

Taylor got up slowly, and painfully, and started to clean the lounge; knowing that if she didn't, she would get beaten again. That was something that she did not need. So she began to dust the lounge even though she had only done it yesterday; in case you hadn't guessed, her aunt Petunia was a neat freak.

It took her only ten minutes to re-clean the lounge from yesterday. Taylor then sighed as she walked painfully up the stairs to clean the bathroom. This took longer to clean because the last time she had cleaned it, was three days ago. When she was finally done; twenty minutes later, she went back down the stairs and curled up in her cupboard before her relatives got home.

Taylor refused to call her relatives her family because family didn't treat each other like this, or a least she hoped that real families didn't treat each other like this as she has never had anything to compare the Dursleys too.

Before she dropped off to sleep, Taylor wished that someone would come and rescue her from this living hell she has ever known.

* * *

_**The Next Morning; No.4 Privet Drive, Surrey, London, England, 08:00**_

* * *

Taylor thanked whatever Gods were up there, that her relatives hadn't come into her cupboard last night when they got home. She ran a hand through her hair; enjoying her last few peaceful minutes before her aunt would come, and knock on the door ordering her to make breakfast… Thinking about food itself made her even more hungry as Taylor hoped that she might get some food, today.

When she had got all the tangles out of her hair, she then braid it messily and tied of the end with an elastic band. Just after she had finished there was a loud rap on her door, and her aunt sharp voice accompanied it.

"Girl get up and make breakfast!" Aunt Petunia ordered, and moved away while opening it, "Yes Aunt Petunia." Taylor said; slowly coming out of her cupboard.

That was another thing that she didn't like: Her relatives always called her 'Girl', and they had never called her 'Taylor'; with the exception of her cousin, who called her Taylor at school.

School was another thing that Taylor didn't like, not because she didn't want to learn but because she wasn't allowed to do better than her cousin in any of their lessons. Due to Dudley being as stupid as he was fat, she had to put effort into not scoring above him in any tests that they had, at school.

Going into the kitchen, she got the frying pan and a stool out, put the stool on the floor by the stove and then the frying pan on the stove itself so that she could only just reach with the stool. Then again, she had been using the stove since she was four, and she still couldn't reach it properly then. When she had started cooking the bacon, her cousin and uncle made their appearance in the kitchen.

"Breakfast better be ready soon, Girl, otherwise you will be in a lot of trouble." Uncle Vernon growled at her while sitting down at the table.

"Yes Uncle Vernon." Taylor said quickly; bringing his breakfast over along with Dudley's. When the three Dursley's had finished their breakfast, Taylor's aunt put some dry toast and water on the table,"Eat this and then tidy the kitchen up." She snapped at her firmly, before leaving the room.

Taylor tried to eat slowly, but she just ended up wolfing the meager slice of toast and then washing it down with the water. When she had finished; under a minute later, she set about tidying up the kitchen. All the while hoping that her aunt and uncle would be a bit fairer today.

It was about two hours later that everything started going down hill, Taylor was upstairs cleaning the spare bedroom because Aunt Marge would be coming to stay for a few days, and she had just finished and was about to go down the stairs when Dudley had barged passed her; causing her two fall down the stairs, and somehow, she managed to land of her feet at the bottom of the stairs unhurt.

Of course she hadn't stayed that way, her uncle had seen and he went ballistic. His whole face went purple before he grabbed her, and pushed her into the basement; that was when Taylor knew she was in big, BIG trouble. Taylor knew that she was only brought down here if her punishment was very severe.

It was over an hour later before her uncle had finished beating her, and Taylor had screamed herself hoarse. At first he had only punched and slapped her around a bit, then he had taken his belt off and lashed her back with that. Her back hurt so much that it had gone numb, and now all she could feel was a dull throb of pain every now and again. Taylor was confident that her arm was also broken, and that she had a sprained or fractured ankle.

After her uncle had finished beating her, he had thrown her back into her cupboard, that was where she had been now; for about an hour. She knew that her back was bleeding and that she should get something to try and stop it, but the rest of her body hurt to much. While she was trying to persuade herself to do something about her back there was a knock on the door, she heard her aunt, she guested answer the door.

"Yes, how can I help you?" Her aunt asked whoever is at the door.

"Hello Ma'am, I'm from Child Protection Services as some neighbours heard screaming coming from your house earlier, and decided to report about it." The woman states while Petunia swallows slightly; knowing that if she doesn't let them in, then they will know something is up.

"Please come in, I'm sure there is a simple explanation for this." Taylor heard her aunt say while thinking that maybe someone will finally rescue her...

* * *

**That is the end of redone chapter number 2, I know that most of it is from what used to be the first chapter of this story but I promise there will be more new material in chapter 3.**

**AN: I know that it is genetically impossible for siblings with the same parents to have blue and green eyes as both are recessive genes, but for the purpose of this fic it is possible. After all this is fiction.**

**Please review and tell me what you think of the new bit of the the chapters!**

**Firefly**


	3. Chapter 3

**I don't own the Avengers or Harry Potter.**

**I do own my OC, please don't use her or copy her character.**

**Warning this fic will be AU and will be Fem Harry, there will also be Bad!Dumbledore and Dumbledore and most of the Weasley's bashing. I would also like to thank Aeroza for being the Beta Reader for this story.**

**But Fem Harry is not a horcrux in this fic.**

**Each chapter will be between 1500 and 2500 words long.**

* * *

**Previously:**

"Please come in, I'm sure there is a simple explanation for this." Taylor hears her aunt say.

Maybe someone will finally rescue her...

* * *

**There is Always Hope - Chapter 3**

* * *

_**March 2007; No.4 Privet Drive, Surrey, England, 13:00**_

* * *

"Please sit down, I will just go and get my husband so we can sort this out." Aunt Petunia said with a hint of nervousness, leaving the woman in the lounge.

A few minutes later, she comes back into the room with Vernon Dursley, and made Maggie Lewis then look over at the couple rather disgusted; mostly at the obesity of the man himself.

"I'm Maggie Lewis, and to what I told your wife, I am from Child Protection Services. Some of your neighbours heard screaming coming from your house earlier today. Do you have any children?" Maggie asked them while seeing Vernon held back a gulp at that.

"Yes, we have a son named Dudley. I can call him down if you want?" Petunia offered as Maggie looked to be in agreement at that, "Yes, please do." Petunia then goes upstairs and a few minutes later, she comes back down with Dudley.

Maggie looks the child over and other than being overweight, there was no visible signs that he was being abused but she still asked him, "Hello Dudley, how are you?" Maggie asked.

"I'm fine, I was upstairs watching my program. I want to go back to it." Dudley grumbled, okay definitely nothing wrong with this child, in fact Maggie thought he was probably a spoilt only child, who never wanted for anything.

"Yes Dudley, you can go back to your program upstairs." Maggie told him and watched as he waddled back up the stairs as fast as he can go.

"Well, there is nothing wrong with your son, but would you please explain to me what caused those pained screams?" Maggie asked while hoping to get to the bottom of this.

"They were probably imagining things." Vernon stated firmly to her.

"Okay, would you mind if I have a look around before I leave then?" Maggie asks hoping that she might uncover something as they had been acting shady, the entire time she had been here.

"Of course, please do." Petunia said; obviously eager to do anything to get the woman out of the house.

So Maggie heads upstairs first and finds that Dudley was definitely very spoilt and that she had nothing to worry about there; other than him getting diabetes at some point in his life. But as she walked back downstairs, she heard a few little whimpers that seemed to be coming from the cupboard up the stairs.

She quickly investigates and opens the door, and immediately turns her head away at the strong smell of blood coming from the cupboard. Looking back in again, however, she sees a tiny girl in there with red hair, who was trembling all over and looking utterly terrified.

Leaving the cupboard door, she marched back into the lounge; glaring angrily right at the Dursleys. "How come you didn't tell me you had another child living here, in a cupboard of all things?!" Maggie stated; fuming furiously at the Dursleys. She then grabbed and talks through a comm while asking the police; who had come with her to come into the house, because it was strongly suspected that there would need to be an arrest in this case.

It seemed that she had shocked the Dursleys into becoming silent.

The two police officers come in, "What's going on Miss Lewis?" One of them asks while Maggie led them over to the cupboard where the young girl is trembling.

"Come and look at this and tell me that those monsters don't need to go to jail." She said.

One exclaimed in shock, "Oh my God!"

The other policeman exclaimed in shock, "That poor girl…" Then he goes into the lounge with his partner and places the Dursley's under arrest for Child Abuse and Neglect.

Maggie listens as Mr. Dursley starts shouting about how they can't do this, and how this would ruin them. Then she turns her attention to the child in the cupboard, and saw her cower from her, "Hey Honey, I'm not going to hurt you. How about we get you out of that cupboard?" Maggie asked the child gently. Taylor; who was still in shock that she was actually going to get out of here once and for all, stayed quiet.

For you see, what her Uncle had done to her had not left her unaffected. She had felt even more terrified when the male policeman had looked into her safe haven; of course as much as she didn't like the cupboard, it was the one place that her Uncle couldn't get her, because he was too big to get in.

Taylor decided; despite how scared she was, she would like to get out of the cupboard, and out of this house. She moved slowly, but stopped quickly when pain shot through her body and cried out in pain. "Oh Honey, let me help you sweetheart?" Maggie asked the girl when she tried to move, but stopped because she was in pain.

The child nodded and Maggie gently picked her up, and placed her on her hip yet Taylor whimpered a bit, but kept mostly quiet.

Maggie walked out of the house hoping that the ambulance that she had asked the policeman to call, would already be here. When she picked the child up, she noticed two things: One, that the child hardly weighed anything, and two, that she had lots of lashes on her back that were probably caused by a belt.

Looking up, she saw that the ambulance was already there and made her way towards it, and the ambulance crew quickly got the bed ready as Maggie gently put the girl on the bed. "I'll travel with her," She told them as they loaded her up, and they nod as she gets in as one of them follows her to keep an eye on the child's condition. While the other goes around the front to drive.

"We are going to look after you now, Honey." Maggie said trying to comfort the girl, who hasn't said anything yet. It only takes five minutes to get to the hospital and Taylor is then taken away to get treated the moment they get into the hospital.

It was an hour and a half later before a nurse came over to Maggie; whose boss had asked her to stay and see if she could get the child's name after she had been treated. "She is settled in bed now, and in a lot less pain than she was, you can see her now if you would like." The nurse offered.

"Yes I'll see her, I need to see if I can get her name, to see if she has any other family." Maggie told them as the nurse nodded and then said, "Okay Miss Lewis if you will follow me, I will take you to her room."

Maggie followed her to a Private Ward, were the girl would be recovering. They couldn't put her in the Children's Ward because of how she had been brought in.

She nods at the nurse and then goes into the child's room, "Hey there, Honey. Are you feeling a bit better?" Maggie asked the child. Taylor was still felt quite nervous, but she nodded at the woman who had rescued her. She was grateful for that, if nothing else.

"My name's Maggie, can you tell me your name? We need to see if you have any other family who can look after you." Maggie said to her gently.

Taylor doesn't want to tell Maggie her name and yet… What if they do find some family for her and they hate her as well…

* * *

**_March 2007; Unknown Location - The Triskelion, 10:19 (Same day - Accounting the time difference between Uk and New York)_**

* * *

"Hey Maria, come and get a look at this," Bobbi called her friend after looking into things, "What have you got?" Maria asked curiously, walking over to her, "You know we were fiddling about with that program that can age missing children for a few days? We put Taylor in there, and well it, finally kicked up a potential match."

"What? Where?" Maria stated while taking a better look at the screen.

"It's an Abuse Case in Surrey, England, and from a little girl that the hospital has estimated about four or five as Social Worker found her in a cupboard in her aunt and uncle's house. They haven't been able to get her to talk; Even to give her name, but look at the picture... She looks like Tasha's miniature." Bobbi explained.

"Geez, I feel sorry for those bastards if that really is Taylor. Clint and Tasha would beat the crap out of them, and that would be after we get to them. We have to take this directly to Fury as he can authorise us to go." Maria ordered.

"Okay," Bobbi agreed.

Maria then set up a screen and called Director Fury, and it didn't take long for the Director's face to appear on the screen. "What is it Agent Hill?" Fury questioned.

"Sir, we have a lead on Taylor. An Abuse Case in Surrey, England. Agent Morse and I would like permission to check it out." Maria explained, knowing that Fury would know exactly who she was talking about.

"Go, but don't tell Barton and Romanoff. If it pans out, let me know and I will tell them in person." Fury ordered them as Maria nodded, "Yes, sir."

It didn't take them very long to prepare themselves, and since they couldn't go as agents of SHIELD because that might put Taylor's life in danger, so they would merely be going as one of their many aliases. Both had private investigator credentials as Maise Heart and Bethany Law.

"Right, so the plan is to tell them that we think Taylor is connected to a kidnapping that happened five years ago, and request a DNA Test be done to confirm it, right?" Bobbi confirmed as the two of them headed for the SHIELD Airfield where a quinjet was waiting to take them to Surrey, England. "Yes, that is the plan Bobbi." Maria agreed.

It was about seven hours later that the pilot told them that they were there, and wished them good luck on their mission. They got off the plane and into a taxi, Maria told the driver where they wanted to go to, a hotel that she pre booked on the flight over so that she and Bobbi had somewhere to stay the night.

Soon they were settled into a room with two beds and prepared themselves to meet the girl that could be their goddaughter after five years of her being missing.

* * *

**_March 2007; Miss Lewis's House, 19:05_**

* * *

Maggie Lewis sighed as it had been a long day, she had been sent to check out a potential case of Child Abuse and Neglect. Which had proved to be the worse than anything she could have imagined, she then had to wait for an hour and a half to see if she could get the girls name.

Which she hadn't managed to get, the girls relatives had been asked what it was as well and they had said that they just called her 'Girl'. They couldn't remember what her name was from when they had got her years ago, when her parents died in a car crash.

It was one of the worst cases she had ever seen, Petunia and Vernon Dursley really didn't care about what they had put their niece through, or what happened to her. They were more worried about their son; Dudley, and what would happen to their reputation among their neighbours as the man stated.

Now finally she was at home, on her sofa; drinking a cup of tea after having such a stressful day. Maggie knew that she would have to go back to the hospital tomorrow as her boss still wanted the girls name. The hospital had been able to make an estimate on her age, but it could be a few years out because of how small and malnourished she is. They had said that the best estimate they could make was being four or five years old.

She really couldn't imagine why anyone would abuse and neglect a child, especially one that was pretty as this little one was as she had the most stunning emerald green eyes and auburn hair. The little one really didn't look anything like her aunt or uncle, so Maggie could only assume that she looked like her mother.

Well whatever the case, she would make sure that this little girl got justice, and if she had any other family... She would get her settled with them; if not, she was sure that any Foster Family would be happy to have her. The little one's looks and her young age would help her there, if a Foster Family became necessary.

* * *

_**March 2007; The Hospital - Taylor's Room, 21:52**_

* * *

Taylor snuggled down on the first proper bed that she had ever slept in. The woman Maggie, had finally left after an hour of trying to get Taylor to tell her what her name was. She hadn't told her, she didn't want to know if she had any other relatives anywhere. Taylor hoped that if Maggie came back, that she wouldn't keep asking about her name.

She didn't mind having her company, after all, she had taken her away from the Dursleys. Maggie had read her a chapter of a book called Matilda, which she told her was written by Roald Dahl before she left, which was nice since no one had ever read to her before.

She had wondered if her parents had read to her before they died in that car accident, but then with what Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon had said about them, she doubted it.

Thinking about what might happen to Matilda in the next chapter, was how Taylor dropped off to sleep in the first real bed that she had ever been in, to her knowledge. Unfortunately for Taylor she didn't get to stay asleep due to the nightmares of her Uncle beating her.

Waking up with nightmares was something that Taylor was very familiar with, she had trained herself a long time ago not to make a sound when she woke up in case she woke her uncle up, and made him mad. So she sat in silence waiting to drop off to sleep again even though she knew that it was unlikely.

* * *

**This is chapter three redone, I hope that you all like the changes that I have started to make. I promise the rest of the Avengers will play a role in this story still like they did in the old version.**

**Firefly**


	4. Chapter 4

**I don't own the Avengers or Harry Potter.**

**I do own my OC, please don't use her or copy her character.**

**Warning this fic will be AU and will be Fem Harry, there will also be Bad!Dumbledore and Dumbledore and most of the Weasley's bashing. I would also like to thank Aeroza for being the Beta Reader for this story.**

**But Fem Harry is not a horcrux in this fic.**

**Each chapter will be between 1500 and 2500 words long.**

* * *

**Previously:**

Waking up with nightmares was something that Taylor was very familiar with, she had trained herself a long time ago not to make a sound when she woke up in case she woke her uncle up and made him mad. So she sat in silence waiting to drop off to sleep again even though she knew that it was unlikely.

* * *

**There is Always Hope - Chapter 4**

* * *

_**March 2007; The Hospital, 09:30**_

* * *

Maria and Bobbi had been eager to get to the hospital the next morning, so after a quick breakfast at the hotel they had left for the hospital.

Both of them knew that they were getting their hopes up, even when the agents in them knew that they shouldn't be, but they couldn't help it.

"Hi, I'm Maise Heart this is My Partner: Bethany Law. We are Private Investigators and our sources say that the little girl that was brought in yesterday might be one of those that was kidnapped in DC five years ago." Maria told the receptionist.

"We were hoping we might be able to speak to her and perform a DNA Test so we can confirm if she is our client's daughter." Bobbi added.

"I see, the detective that is running her case is up there now. I will let him know that you are on your way up. It's the fourth floor, Ward Seven," she told them, "Thank you," Maria said quickly before following Bobbi to the elevator.

Finding the right ward didn't take very long, and Maria knocked on the door before they walked in. A voice called out for them to come in, when they did, they saw a dark haired woman and a blonde man inside along with a auburn haired little girl with green eyes. They then shared a look, and they saw the child looked exactly like a younger version of Tasha; if she wasn't Clint and Natasha's daughter, they would be surprised.

"You two are the PI's?" The blonde man asked.

"Yes, I'm Bethany Law and this is my partner Maise Heart." Bobbi told him.

"I'm Detective Adam Smith, I'm in charge of this case. I understand that you think that it is connected to a kidnapping in America," Detective Smith said doubtfully to them both, "Yes, we think so. Would you mind if we talk to her?" Maria asked them.

"No, we haven't had any luck getting her to talk or even tell us her name. You might have more luck than we have had. I'm Maggie Lewis, from Child Protective Services, I was the one that found her." Maggie explained, as she pushed her dark hair out of her eyes.

"Thanks." Maria said as Bobbi walked over to the bed, and she could see that the girl was curious, but she hadn't made a sound while they had been talking.

Slowly she sat down on the chair next to the bed hoping that being on the same level as her would make her feel more relaxed. "Hi, I'm Bethany. I hear that you haven't been very talkative since you have been here. Why haven't you told them your name Taylor?" Bobbi asked gently.

Taylor looked up at Bethany quickly, she knew her name… How did she know her name? Then Taylor remembered what the adult had said when the two new ones had come into the room, they thought she had been kidnapped. That however didn't stop her from asking, she needed to be sure.

"How?" Taylor asked.

"Well if you are who we think you are, then your parents told us. They have been looking for you for five years now." Bobbi explained.

"To tell for sure we want to do a DNA test, it will tell us if you are related to our clients." Maria added as she had finished talking to Detective Smith and Miss Lewis and had joined Bobbi next to Taylor's bed. She was a little annoyed that Bobbi had left her to deal with the adults, while she had gone and talked to Taylor; who both of them were almost sure was their goddaughter.

"Will it hurt?" Taylor questioned as they saw she was scared.

"The DNA Test? No it won't hurt, a nurse will take a swab from your mouth and that will be compared to your parents DNA that we have on file." Maria informed her.

"Are we letting them perform a DNA test?" Detective Smith asked, directing the question at Maggie as she was the child's caretaker for now. "If you refuse, we will just get a court order." Bobbi threatened after hearing him state that.

"No you are welcome to do your test, if she does have parents out there I want her reunited with them." Maggie said quickly. She wanted to defuse the tension that had filled the room when Detective Smith asked if they should let a DNA Test be done, honestly he was probably only questioning it because he was upset that two PI's were taking over his case.

These two had been having a lot more luck getting Taylor to open up than they had, and she was happy that she was talking to someone, and that there was a strong possibility that she had parents out there that would take care of her.

"I want to do the test." Taylor quietly stated as the 'PI's' nodded at the child, "Good, I'll go get a nurse to do the swab." Bobbi states and getting up to find a nurse.

Taking the swab didn't take long, it would be sequenced and then that would be sent to a SHIELD Lab; who would compare the samples, which would have names on only numbers. Then Maria and Director Fury would get an email with the results and Maria would get to tell Taylor, while Fury would be telling Natasha and Clint.

"How long will the test take?" Taylor asked curiously. Both Detective Smith and Maggie Lewis had left, but Bethany and Maise had stayed with her and told her about America. They had answered all of her questions and hadn't got angry with her; like her relatives used to, which was nice because she always had questions.

"A while yet, and we will probably get the results sometime tomorrow morning." Maria told her.

Both Maria and Bobbi had noticed how Taylor had been hesitant to ask questions to start off with, like she was expecting something bad to happen, however, if they had not been trained to notice stuff like that, they would have missed it.

"Oh, so I'm gonna have to stay here tonight." Taylor sighed. She had decided that she didn't like hospitals, they were just as boring as her cupboard, but not as safe as everyone could get into her room. So as well as having nightmares she had to make sure to watch for any bad people, Taylor had got very good a reading people in the five years that she had lived with the Dursleys.

Most people were easy to read, and it was easy for her to tell if someone was going to get angry so that she could get out of the way. Maise and Bobbi hadn't shown any signs of being angry other than when the doctors had told them about her injuries.

Apparently Bethany was good at reading people, too, and had asked why she was looking scared, thankfully when Taylor had told her why she had reassured her that they weren't angry with her, but with her uncle who had broken her wrist, badly sprained her ankle, and had left her with open wounds on her back from his belt.

"Yes, sorry Kiddo. I don't much like hospitals either, how would you like to hear a story before Maise and I have to go for the night?" Bobbi offered.

"Really? No one has ever read me a story before, I am learning to read in school but I have to make sure that I don't get higher grades than Dudley otherwise my uncle would get really mad. It was actually more difficult to do worse than Dudley than do the work right!" Taylor exclaimed.

She had begun to open up move to Maise and Bethany, she found that she liked them they didn't treat her like a little kid, even though she was one. Plus so far they hadn't lied to her or hurt her in anyway, that on it's own made them the nicest adults that she had met.

"Yes really." Bobbi confirmed.

"And Taylor, you don't have to get lower grades than Dudley anymore. Just do your class work as well as you can, you won't get in trouble for it." Maria assured her.

It was horrifying to think of what these people had put Taylor though, she was only six years old and she had mostly likely only just started school and yet she knew that she couldn't do better than her so called relative's son. The fact that she could read people's expressions hadn't escaped Maria's notice either, what did they have to do to her so that she could so easily, do something that it took SHIELD cadets a lot of time and practice to learn.

"So what about that story?" Bobbi asked as the child nodded.

"Yes please," Taylor requested.

The next half an hour was peaceful as Bobbi read the next chapter of Matilda, Miss Lewis had left it from when she had read it to her yesterday. Taylor had fallen asleep by the time that Bobbi had finished the chapter, she and Maria got up quietly and left the hospital to go back to their hotel rooms.

* * *

_**March 2007; The Hotel, 10:00**_

* * *

Before they had left the hospital the previous night the nurses had asked that they stick to the visiting hours that started at ten thirty, so both Maria and Bobbi had a rare lay in.

"Are we leaving soon?" Maria asked as Bobbi was sitting fully dressed on the end of her bed; with her laptop open, and she had just received the email that had the results of Taylor's DNA Test. It was more nerve racking than she thought it would be, because this would confirm whether or not Taylor was the goddaughter that she and Maria had lost, as well as Clint and Natasha's daughter.

"We can, I have the email with the results of Taylor's DNA test. I haven't opened it yet." Bobbi informed her.

"Nervous?" Maria guessed as she gotten a nod.

"Yes." Bobbi admitted.

"Bobbi, you are a Specialist that works for a secret government intelligence agency. You don't need to be nervous about an email… But I understand why you are. Just get it over with." Maria said, teasingly at first before becoming more serious.

"Okay," Bobbi agreed, laughing, and opening the dreaded and anticipated email, Bobbi was glad that her Biology degree allowed her to understand the results instantly without having to go all the way down to the bottom of the page. It was a match. Taylor was the eldest daughter of Clint Barton and Natasha Romanoff.

"It's a match." Bobbi stated with hidden relief in her voice.

"Lets go and get our goddaughter and take her home to her parents, then shall we?" Maria commented.

* * *

_**March 2007; The Hospital, 10:35**_

* * *

It didn't take them long to get to the hospital, while they were travelling there, Bobbi called Maggie Lewis to let her know and that they would be taking Taylor to America. Miss Lewis had been pleased and promised to sign her case over, without any problems.

Maria had called Detective Smith to let him know of the same information, he hadn't been quite so please he had wanted Taylor available to testify against the Dursleys yet she had told him that Taylor was A: Wasn't old enough to be sworn in (The youngest had been eight years old, not six) and B: She is a minor and her parents wouldn't let her testify anyway.

That had promptly shut him up and she had finished off with him, quickly, and that was one thing she hated about dealing with people as they almost always underestimated her.

"Hi Taylor," Maria called as they walked into her ward, and Taylor looked up from the coloring sheet that she was doing, since a nurse had given it to her when she complained about being bored. She had been grateful that her uncle had broken her left wrist rather than her right one, otherwise she wouldn't have been able to colour at all.

"Hi Maise, hi Bethany." Taylor greeted.

"We have some good news for you Taylor. We got the DNA Results in this morning, and it was a match. You are our clients daughter, and we have already started making arrangements to take you to your parents in Washington DC." Maria told her.

It took her a couple of moments to take in what Maise had confirmed for her, her parents were alive not dead and they had been looking for her for five years, or at least that had been what they had said yesterday. What's more was that she would be going to Washington DC, which she knew was in America as Bethany had told her so in one of their conversations yesterday.

"They want me?" Taylor questioned, she had to be sure.

"Yes. Yes they do want you Taylor. They love you and have been looking for you for the past five years since you were taken." Bobbi promised.

After that things moved rather quickly for Taylor, Maise and Bethany spoke to her doctor and got her discharged with the promise that she would see a doctor once they got to America. Her few belongings were packed up and Maise helped her get changed into some new clothes, a light blue top with a puppy on, some black leggins and blue trainers.

Then Bethany picked her up, Taylor tensed up instantly as she wasn't used to such contact without it hurting her. She relaxed slowly when she reminded herself that Bethany wouldn't hurt her, she was taking her out of the hospital and to her parents.

"It's okay Taylor, I'm just picking you up because you can't put any weight on your ankle for about a week." Bobbi reassured her.

"We are going to go to the airport now Taylor," Maise told her then.

* * *

**That is where I am going to leave it, I will have the next chapter with Taylor meeting her parents as soon as I can. Please review and tell me what you think, I would love to know if you like the changes I have been making.**

**A few changes that have been made and that are going to be made are because of suggestions and comments in reviews from the Original Version of There is Always Hope.**

**So if they is something that you would like changed or to see in this new version either review or PM me.**

**Firefly**


	5. Chapter 5

**I don't own the Avengers or Harry Potter.**

**I do own my OC, please don't use her or copy her character.**

**Warning this fic will be AU and will be Fem Harry, there will also be Bad!Dumbledore and Dumbledore and most of the Weasley's bashing. I would also like to thank Aeroza for being the Beta Reader for this story.**

**But Fem Harry is not a horcrux in this fic.**

**Each chapter will be between 1500 and 2500 words long.**

* * *

**Previously:**

"It's okay Taylor, I'm just picking you up because you can't put any weight on your ankle for about a week." Bobbi reassured her.

"We are going to go to the airport now Taylor," Maise told her then.

* * *

**There is Always Hope - Chapter 5**

* * *

**_March 2007; SHIELD Quinjet, 14:20_**

* * *

They had got on the Quinjet about two hours ago, and there was still another six hours to go before they would land in Washington DC. Taylor was thankfully easy to entertain, and she was happily working on a puzzle; with Bobbi giving her pointers when she needed them.

Hopefully it would be a smooth flight all the way there as Fury had text her not five minutes ago and explained that he would be going to tell Natasha and Clint that they had found their daughter, and that they were on their way home.

Maria honestly felt a little sorry for Nick Fury having to explain to Natasha and Clint that their oldest daughter had been abused, so much so that when she replied to his text, she wished him good luck, and suggested that he wear body armor.

"Maise, can you tell me about my parents?" Taylor called from where she was sitting with Bobbi. "Of course, what do you want to know?" Maria asked, going over to sit with Taylor and Bobbi. "What are their names?" Taylor asked, glancing up at the two adults nervously.

"There names are Clint and Natasha, your Mom got red hair like you do." Maria told her goddaughter. Bobbi, however, caught Maria's eyes when she looked up from Taylor, and Maria knew what she was asking do we tell Taylor who we are to her. Maria got the feel that the longer that they left Taylor thinking they were PI's that her parents had hired the worse her reaction would be, so she nodded at Bobbi. Yes they should tell her.

"Taylor, there is something else that we should tell you… Your Mom and Dad work for a law enforcement agency, and they are two of the top agents. Because of their positions and the danger that it could put you in, we think it might have been because of their jobs that you were kidnapped in the first place. We had to lie to you to find out if you were their daughter." Bobbi started, "We aren't actually PI's Taylor, we are good friends with your parents we work in the same agency as them. When you were born they made us your godmothers, and while we were pretending to be PIs we had to change our names, our real names are Maria Hill, and Bobbi Morse." Maria finished.

Taylor blinked as her six-year-old mind was trying to take in the information that she had been given and that they had lied to her, she didn't like being lied to… But Mais- No, Maria said that they had to so that she and her parents would be safe. Taylor wasn't sure if it was okay to lie to someone if it was to keep them safe, but Maria and Bobbi were friends with her parents, and they were her Godmothers? Taylor wasn't really sure what a godmother was, but it did sound important, and maybe she should forgive them for lying to her.

Her parents - Clint and Natasha, (She couldn't quite see them as Mommy and Daddy yet) might not want her if she didn't forgive Maria and Bobbi, so it would be best to forgive them.

"Taylor are you okay?" Bobbi asked gently, after Taylor had been silent for over five minutes.

"I think so, I think I can forgive you for lying to protect me. What is a godmother?" Taylor asked; rapidly changing the subject in a way that only small children seem to be able to do.

Bobbi shared a look with Maria as they both were glad that Taylor had forgiven them, and if the situation wasn't so serious they would have been amused with her ability to change the subject.

"Thank you Taylor, I'm glad you could forgive us." Bobbi said to her.

"A Godmother, is someone who in some families is there to guide their godchild spiritually like in religion. But to be honest with you Taylor your parents aren't very religious, and they did it mostly so that if anything ever happened to them, they could be sure that people that they knew and trusted would be looking after you." Maria explained.

"Oh, okay. So I will still see both of you when I am with my parents?" Taylor questioned as she gotten gentle nods, "Yes, you will still see both of us, don't worry." Bobbi promised her.

* * *

**_March 2007; Barton-Romanoff Apartment, 10:32 (Same day; Just accounting for the time difference between UK and DC)_**

* * *

"Are we going to do anything on our rare day off?" Natasha asked Clint. She walked from the kitchen into the living room where Clint was play with their three year old daughter Kinsley, it was nice when they got time off together especially now Kinsley was doing more and getting a lot more active.

"Well… What do think Kins? We could go to the park or the Zoo?" Clint suggested half talking to her, and half to their daughter.

"Zoo, Dada." Kinsley stated with a happy smile, directed at her Daddy.

"There you go Tasha, zoo it is." Clint said grinning at her.

Natasha rolled her eyes, no one at SHIELD would ever believe that this was what they were like outside of work, with the exceptions of Phil, Mel, Maria, Bobbi and of course Nick.

"Okay-" Natasha was about to continue when there was a knock on their door. It could only be one of five people as no one else was cleared to get through security, and as Bobbi and Maria were on mission that meant that it was either Mel, Phil or possibly Nick.

"I get that, then shall I?" Natasha said, when Clint made no indication that he was going to move. "Thanks Tasha!" Clint called after her.

"Nick?" Natasha asked as she opened the door as Nick was the last person on the list that she had expected. "I need to speak to you and Clint, it's personal." Nick explained as he moved past Natasha.

When the three adults were settled in the living room and Kinsley was suitably entertained with toys on the floor, Natasha and Clint looked expectantly at Nick Fury; their boss who had said that his visit was personal, and it limited what he might want to talk to them about well a lot.

"What is it?" Clint asked, he was less patient than Natasha was.

"It's about Maria and Bobbi's mission, they requested it because they thought that they might had found a lead on Taylor." Nick started, as soon as he mentioned Taylor, both assassins sat up straighter and interrupted him.

"Did they find anything?" Natasha asked quietly as she was shocked at the news and yet, "Why didn't they tell us earlier?" Clint questioned angrily.

"Yes they did and they didn't tell you because I ordered them not to, don't you think I see what each failed lead does to you two, I wanted to spare you that." Nick explained.

"Okay, so what did they find?" Natasha asked, a little touched that Nick would try to spare them more pain.

"They found Taylor in Surrey, England. They are on their way here now, and they are due to land in a little under six hours. There is something else, they found a lead because of a hospital report… Taylor was in an abusive home. I know that you are angry now, but think of your daughters, the law has handled the scum, and I think you two have six hours to sort out Taylor's room." Nick told them hoping to keep their focus on their daughters and not the abuse.

The arguments that followed were in all honesty, scary; even for the Director of SHIELD, neither Natasha or Clint raised their voice because of Kinsley, but they certainly made their angry, hurtful, and displeased emotions known. It took him over an hour to calm them both down and he was every glad that he had taken Maria Hill's advice to wear a bulletproof vest.

* * *

_**March 2007; Barton-Romanoff Apartment, 16:46**_

* * *

It had been a hectic and emotional six hours since Director Fury had come to their apartment and told them that Maria and Bobbi had found their daughter; who had been kidnapped five years ago, after Nick had managed to calm them both down the first thing to do was reassure Kinsley that everything was okay.

Then try to explain to her that her older sister; Taylor, had been found, would be home soon, and they weren't entirely sure that Kinsley understood but it was the best they could do right then.

Next on the list was calling in backup, thankfully both Phil and Mel were just working on paperwork and were more that happy for a reason to stop. Both of them were thrilled that Taylor had been found, and like Tasha and Clint, they were furious that Taylor had been abused.

After explanations were given they started working on making Taylor's room suitable for a six year old girl. It was almost a miracle that they had managed to get it done in time, and now they were just waiting for Bobbi and Maria to arrive with Taylor.

Melinda and Phil had agreed that meeting all of them at once might be a bit much for Taylor, so they had left with promises that when Taylor was ready, they would come and meet her.

"Mama? Tay coming?" Kinsley asked curiously as she knew that there was something going on with Tay; with everything that Mama, Dada, Aunty Mel and Uncle Phil had done with the room, but she was still confused.

"Yes, Taylor is coming home, she is your big sister. Remember when I told you that Tay was taken and we couldn't find her, well your Aunty Maria and Aunty Bobbi found her so they are bringing her home now." Natasha explained again hoping it might help.

Not long after she had finished explaining there was a knock on the door, and this time Clint bolted up to go and answer it as Maria and Bobbi were there and Bobbi had a beautiful little redheaded girl, with green eyes in her arms looking half curious and half nervous.

"Come in guys," Clint said, relying on his training to keep calm and not scare his daughter.

Bobbi and Maria followed him into the apartment, spotting Natasha hovering by the living room with Kinsley next to her. They all walked into the living room, Kinsley was obviously almost bursting with excitement, Taylor on the other hand was uncertain and was watching Natasha, Clint and the little girl that she hadn't been told about.

"Taylor, these are your parents Clint and Natasha," Maria introduced.

"Hi Taylor, I'm really glad that Bobbi and Maria found you, we have been looking for you for five year ever since you were taken," Natasha said gently and she saw how nervous her eldest child was; hurting her about how her situation ended up as, "Hi," Taylor murmured.

"Hi Tay! I'm Kinsley, you're my big sister!" Kinsley exclaimed excitedly, clambering up on to Maria's lap so she could be closer to Taylor.

Natasha shook her head slightly as it seemed that Kinsley could contain herself any longer, and Taylor looked even more unsure; if that was possible, and Maria had obviously seen it too because she kept Kinsley on her lap; preventing her for getting closer to Bobbi and Taylor.

"Kinsley, slow down a bit. Taylor how would you like me to show you your room?" Natasha asked.

Taylor thought about it as Bobbi and Maria hadn't told her about Kinsley, and maybe they had wanted to leave that to her parents since it would been nice to know before, but it didn't matter too much. It seemed that she had a little sister, who was very excitable, and it was all a bit overwhelming and going with her Mom would get her away from that.

However, she didn't really want to leave Bobbi and Maria as they had been the first people to make her feel safe, answer her questions, and maybe it would be okay if one of them came with her.

"Okay, can Bobbi come too?" Taylor asked.

"Yeah, Bobbi can come too." Natasha agreed at understanding her, and lead the way; with Bobbi following her with Taylor.

Clint and Maria quickly distracted Kinsley from trying to go with them, thankfully the toddler was easily distracted.

* * *

**That is where I am going to leave it, I know I'm awful but the next chapter we see Taylor's room and Taylor and Natasha have a talk.**

**Please review and tell me what you think. I have already started writing the next chapter and I will have it posted as soon as I can.**

**Firefly**


	6. Chapter 6

**I don't own the Avengers or Harry Potter.**

**I do own my OC, please don't use her or copy her character.**

**Warning this fic will be AU and will be Fem Harry, there will also be Bad!Dumbledore and Dumbledore and most of the Weasley's bashing. I would also like to thank Aeroza for being the Beta Reader for this story.**

**But Fem Harry is not a horcrux in this fic.**

**This chapter will be between 1750 and 2750 words long.**

* * *

**Previously:**

"Okay, can Bobbi come too?" Taylor asked.

"Yeah, Bobbi can come too." Natasha agreed, and lead the way with Bobbi following her with Taylor.

Clint and Maria quickly distracted Kinsley from trying to go with them, thankfully the toddler was easily distracted.

* * *

**There is Always Hope - Chapter 6**

* * *

_**March 2007; Barton-Romanoff Apartment, Taylor's Room, 17:03**_

* * *

"So Taylor... This is your room, and we weren't sure what colors you would like so we mainly went with something a little more neutral in lilac, but we can change it if you want." Natasha said gently to her while telling her.

Watching Taylor take in the room from Bobbi's arms, Natasha was secretly dying to have her little girl back within her arms, but since she knew her little girl had been abused, it was going to take a while to gain her trust; just like her with Clint and SHIELD long ago by her own past within the Red Room.

Taylor looked around the room in amazement, mostly, as to her, it was truly beautiful as her Mom had said the walls were lilac, and there was a canopy bed in one corner with a lilac duvet with silver flowers on it. In the opposite corner, there was a desk with paper and pencils on top, next to that was a bookshelf with some books already in it. Mostly filled with fantasy or science fiction books after Clint and Natasha had got books for Taylor's age group, however Natasha had noticed that Clint had managed to get a book of archery in there too.

All in all, it was the best room Taylor had ever seen and it was hers, her room that her parents had made for her… Especially since she knew it was an improvement from the Cupboard. Looking back to the bed, however, Taylor spotted that there were two cuddly toys resting against the pillow as one was a typical bear, and the other was a black colored dog.

"What do you think Taylor?" Natasha asked curiously while hiding her nervousness yet was relieved by Taylor's shy question back to her, as Natasha secretly held back her rage by her eyes filled with both pain and hope at her, "Is it really all mine?"

"Yes, baby it is all yours… How about you come sit on the bed and we can have a little talk about what other toys you might want in here." Natasha offered moving over to the bed.

"Okay," Taylor agreed somewhat hesitant yet did so as her Mom seems nice so far. Bobbi although walked her over to the bed and set her down next to her Mom, and Taylor winced a little as it shifter her back; which still hurt a bit when she moved, at least her ankle wasn't hurting.

"Tasha, this little lady isn't allowed to put weight on her left foot because it is sprained, her left wrist is broken and she has some lacerations on her back so she is going to need her medication in a little while. I'll talk that over with Clint while you two have your talk." Bobbi explained with seeing her friend held mixed emotions briefly within her bright green orbs.

She mostly didn't want Natasha to accidentally do something that would hurt Taylor even more, plus now that Taylor looked more comfortable with Natasha, Bobbi wanted to give them some time alone.

"Thanks for telling me, Bobbi," Natasha briefly thought though, looks like you have been through the wars, baby girl. "Your not going to have to worry about that here, your Dad and I will look after you, no one is going to hurt you again." Natasha told her eldest child.

In all honesty as she was thankful that she was good a controlling her emotions, because hearing what those monsters had done to her little girl, was bringing out her Black Widow Persona, briefly.

While the adults were talking, Taylor was keeping an eye on them just in case they decided to do something, she had reached up the bed and grabbed the black puppy dog toy that had caught her eye earlier.

He was soft and cuddly, this one was definitely her favourite, though the bear looked nice too, with light brown fur, the dog was almost calling to her. For some reason when she thought of the dog, the name: Padfoot, floated into her mind, well that would be his name then, Taylor mentally decided.

"I'll see you in a little while Taylor, I'm just going to sit out with Maria, your Dad and Kinsley." Bobbi told her from where she was standing in the doorway.

"Okay." Taylor agreed, obviously she had been more distracted by Padfoot than she thought, as she hadn't realised that Bobbi and her Mom had finished their conversation.

Natasha looked over at her daughter who had picked up the black dog toy that Clint had given her when she was just a baby, it seem that she still loved it just as much now as she did back then.

"You know Taylor, your Dad gotten you that stuffed cuddly toy when you were born, and you absolutely refused to go to sleep without it. We were hoping that you might still get comfort from it, looks to me like we were right." Natasha softly told her the story behind the dog while seeing her child hug it to herself.

"He's my favourite, I named him Padfoot... Is that okay?" Taylor asked, wondering if perhaps he already had a name.

Natasha instantly recognised her older daughter's need for reassurance and approval, and figured she obviously didn't want to upset them or make them angry. Although her training told her that it was normal in abused children, and yet it hurt because this was her little girl, and she should have never gone through this.

If I ever find out who did this, they would get a kick to the balls or worse, "That's truly fine, Padfoot, huh? I think it suits him. You were too young to name him when you were little, so it's only fitting that he gets a name now. He has been waiting for you to give him one for quite some time." Natasha assured her while Taylor smiled at her Mom being pleased that she didn't mind, though she wasn't sure that she would call Natasha, Mommy, for a while. But she had never had any mother figure as Aunt Petunia didn't count.

"Hey, I want you to know that your Dad and I, we didn't stop looking for you. Not since you were taken from us. Maria and Bobbi came for you because they got the lead before we did, and I also know that Kinsley can be a lot to manage all at once. We have always told her about you, she knows that you are her big sister, obviously we not fully sure who much she does understand. She has been asking about basically since she has been able to, she adores to Taylor." Natasha explained as she was hoping that by talking about Kinsley, that she could get any doubts and concerns that Taylor had about for her little sister before they could fester.

"Why did you tell her about me if you didn't know if you would find me?" Taylor asked as it didn't make any sense to her...

Why set someone you love give you up for disappointment. Surely they would want to save her from that, plus Dudley had always said that being an only child was the best. He had always taken every opportunity to remind her of it, and how she had ruined that privilege for him.

"Because we love you Taylor and we never going stopped looking for you… If we hadn't found you now, then we would still be looking. If we hadn't told Kinsley from the start as she got old she would realise we were keeping something from her, and it hurts even more to have someone you love keeping something from you. You know what your sister's full name is Taylor? It's Kinsley Taya Batorn, we gave her that middle name after you. We always had every intention of telling her about you, even before she was born." Natasha told her gently.

"So you didn't have her to replace me?" Taylor questioned her Mommy, uncertainly.

"No! Never, Taylor. We didn't plan to have Kinsley, sometimes these things just happen. Your Dad and I weren't planning on having anymore children until we found you, we didn't want to fail another child." Natasha promised her.

It was a foreign concept for Taylor to grasp that someone cared and worried about her, but for what she was seeing and hearing her parents really did and they love her and had been looking for her for five years and they wanted her back. Plus no one had ever left like they had failed her, more like she was always failing them.

"You felt like you failed me?" Taylor asked hesitantly as she was secretly surprised at that.

"Yes, we did. We failed to protect you, which is something we always promised we would do." Natasha confirmed.

"So you won't let anything bad happen again?" Taylor then questioned as she wanted to make sure that if she got comfortable here, that it wasn't going to disappear.

When she and Clint had found out that she was pregnant with Taylor they had decided that they would always be as honest as they could be with their child, now children. That had included not making promises that they couldn't keep, and especially now with Taylor they needed to be honest with her.

"We will do everything in our power to make sure that nothing bad happens to you or your sister, but I can't promise that nothing bad will ever happen. I don't know how much Maria and Bobbi told you about what me and your Dad do for a living, but sometimes we have to go away for work. When we do though, either Maria, Bobbi or one of our other friends; Melinda and Phil, will be here to stay with you. That I can promise on." Natasha assured her daughter while seeing she gave her a small smile.

"Okay," Taylor said simply.

"How about we move on to a happier topic, like what other toys you would like for this room," Natasha suggested.

"I don't need anything else, I don't want to be a burden." Taylor said quickly, she did not want to seem ungrateful.

Natasha knew for certain that this was going to be an uphill battle, trying to convince her daughter that she could want things for herself and not be considered a burden. She knew from the little amount to research that she had managed to do on abused children before Maria and Bobbi had got here with Taylor, that physiological abuse often included downgrading a child and telling them that they were a burden or difficult. That they should be grateful for what they were given, was a way to stop them from asking for things because they knew they should be grateful for what they had been 'generously' given.

"Taylor you may not need anything else, but you are allowed to want things here. Plus your Dad and I missed five years of birthdays, and we owe you some gifts." Natasha told her calmly yet held her rage in once again by her innocent words.

"I have never had birthday gifts before." Taylor words sounded hopeful, her eyes however showed she was unconvinced.

"Never had any birthday presents, we need to change that Tasha! We can't have this, this is a tragedy!" Clint exclaimed dramatically, since he had just come from the living room to check on how Tasha was getting on with Taylor.

Leaving Kinsley in Maria and Bobbi's capable hands to keep her entertained and out of the way, just until they got Taylor a little more settled. He had caught the tail end of their conversation and couldn't help but say something.

Natasha laughed and rolled her eyes and Clint; not seeing Taylor grow stiff briefly as he unexpectedly entered the room, yet knew he was her Daddy and relaxed only slightly, "Yes we will. Just as soon as Taylor is comfortable with it." Natasha agreed, she hoped that Clint's presence wouldn't cause Taylor to close up.

"Of course," Clint agreed to his wife, "So I just came to see how things are going in here? If you feel up to it, Taylor, Kinsley is getting rather impatient to spend some time with you. If you're not then I am sure that between Maria, Bobbi and I, we all could think for something to keep her busy as she absolutely adores you." Clint told his eldest kindly.

Thinking it over, on one hand she was afraid still as she was all new to this, and the other, she also liked the idea, secretly, of being a big sister... At least she would also be back out with Bobbi and Maria, since she would also be able to see if what Clint was saying was true; if Kinsley did adore her, then she wouldn't be hit. Or at least Taylor hoped that she wouldn't, because she could run away at the moment but she wouldn't have much of a chance to actually get away.

"Yeah, I think that would be okay." Taylor agreed softly to them.

* * *

_**March 2007; Barton-Romanoff Apartment, Living Room, 17:56**_

* * *

After making sure that Taylor was okay with being picked up again; with both parents inwardly frowning together from her not letting Clint touch her, Natasha had carried her eldest child back out and through to the living room. She had noticed how Taylor seemed to deliberate about bringing the newly named Padfoot with her, yet in the end she left him on the bed before she allowed Natasha to pick her up.

Natasha had almost said that it was okay to bring him with her, but to be honest with herself, she didn't know her daughter well enough to know why she had left Padfoot on the bed. It could be for a number of reasons; all of which didn't sit well with her that her daughter would have thought of them, but for now, she would let it be.

As both Clint and Natasha expected, Kinsley was thrilled that Taylor had come back out, and was eager to play with her older sister. "Are you happy to play on the floor with your sister, or would you like to sit with one of us?" Natasha asked Taylor gently.

Maria was sitting on the couch where Clint joined her. While Bobbi was sitting on the floor along with Kinsley as well, and Taylor hesitated when she had been just a little younger she would have been thrilled that someone wanted to play with her… But now after experiencing school, she knew how mean other kids could be, and how possesive some of them could be over their toys.

Before Taylor could make a decision, Kinsley made it for her, "Mommy come play too!" Kinsley pleaded.

"How about it Taylor? I'll sit with you on floor and we three can play together?" Natasha offered as she could see Taylor was nervous.

"Okay." Taylor stated with a nod.

It didn't take Kinsley very long to put most of her sister's fears at ease as she shared her toys and included her without any issues, and got their Mom and Bobbi playing too. Though Taylor's fears were not put permanently to rest yet for the first time that she could remember, she felt happy and mostly safe.

* * *

**Okay, I hope everyone liked this chapter, I plan on doing a fair few time skips in the next chapter to get things moving a bit better again.**

**Please review and tell me what you think.**

**Firefly**


	7. Chapter 7

**I don't own the Avengers or Harry Potter.**

**I do own my OC, please don't use her or copy her character.**

**Warning this fic will be AU and will be Fem Harry, there will also be Bad!Dumbledore and Dumbledore and most of the Weasley's bashing. I would also like to thank Aeroza for being the Beta Reader for this story.**

**But Fem Harry is not a horcrux in this fic.**

**Each chapter will be between 1500 and 2500 words long.**

* * *

**Previously**

"How about it, Taylor, I'll sit with you on the floor and we can play together?" Natasha offered.

"Okay." Taylor nodded.

It didn't take Kinsley very long to put most of her sister's fears at ease, she shared her toys and included her without any issues and got their Mom and Bobbi playing too. Though Taylor's fears were not put permanently to rest for the first time that she could remember she felt happy and mostly safe.

* * *

**There is Always Hope - Chapter 7**

* * *

_**March to November 2007**_

* * *

It had been nine months since Bobbi and Maria had found Taylor in England, and got her back to her parents and sister. There had been many ups and downs as the Barton-Romanoff family got used to having it's fourth member back. Taylor had quickly gained trust in Natasha - her Mom, and her Aunt's Bobbi, Maria and Melinda, she also learned to trust that Kinsley practically worshiped the ground that she walked on and was always happy to play with her and share her things.

In fact the trouble with her little sister seemed to be trying to get some time away from her, when their parents weren't monitoring her as closely as they had been when Taylor had first arrived. However it was very slow progress at first with getting Taylor to trust Clint - her Dad and her Uncle Phil, as such when Natasha started taking on missions again a month after Taylor had come home she had to make sure that either Maria, Bobbi or Melinda was around to help Clint with Taylor.

All of Taylor's injuries had healed up nicely; her sprained ankle had stopped hurting first, and she had got the cast off her left wrist after six weeks. The doctor had shown her Mom how to do strengthening exercises on her wrist to build the muscle back up. Her back had scabbed over and now she had lots of scars running down her back, her parents had offered to see a plastic surgeon to see if the scars could be helped and made smaller.

When she refused they compromised by using a cream that would encourage the scar tissue to heal and regenerate, Taylor had agreed to this as it was unlikely the scars would fully disappear with this treatment. She wanted the scars to remind her of how she had got here and that she was strong enough to survive.

The malnourishment that had come from being starved and eating very little food for the first six years of her life, that was the thing that was taking the longest to fix. The doctor had given her parents a diet to get her weight and height back on track again, as well as vitamin supplements that she would have to take for the foreseeable future. It was however lucky that they had caught it now and it was promised that she would be able to catch up with her age group and then grow normally.

Over the next few months Taylor's trust grew in her Dad and Uncle Phil, so by the time July 31st came around Taylor's 7th birthday they were able to have a proper party for her. Without any worries that she might shy away from the men in her life, it was the first birthday party Taylor had ever had and she thoroughly enjoyed it.

Natasha and Clint loved having their oldest back with them where she belonged, though for a little while it felt like they were walking on eggshells around her and trying to get to know her. There was also Kinsley to consider, they had to make sure that she felt included so that she did start to resent her sister.

Surprisingly though it was Kinsley that took to all the changes the easiest, she didn't mind sharing her parents with her older sister and absolutely loved having her around. There were of course a few small problems, but Natasha was of the opinion that Kinsley was just young enough to accept all the changes easily and add the fact that she had grown up being told all about her older sister her whole life definitely helped.

November had seen Kinsley's 4th birthday, and they had a small party a lot like they had done for Taylor's a few months ago. It had also been when they had finally persuaded Taylor to show her intelligence in her studies, they had been homeschooling her as they wanted to give her time to adjust to everything.

* * *

_**December 2007, Barton-Romanoff Apartment, Kitchen, 08:33**_

* * *

It was coming up to Christmas and the apartment was lit up and decorated with tinsel and other Christmas decorations, Clint and Natasha were determined to make it special as it was Taylor's first Christmas with them.

"Breakfast girls," Natasha called.

Pancakes were always a good way to start the day, or so Clint thought and as it was his turn to decide on breakfast pancakes were a common choice with both him and Kinsley. Taylor seemed to have developed a taste for a traditional English breakfast with sausages, bacon, eggs and hashbrowns while she was living in England so she would always choose that when it was her turn.

They heard the sounds of both girls leaving their rooms and running through to the kitchen, though it was a rule to walk inside Natasha didn't enforce it all the time.

"Pancakes! Yay." Kinsley squealed as she scrambled up on to her chair, Clint quickly stepping up to help her so she didn't hurt herself.

"Morning Mom, Dad," Taylor said, sitting down more calmly than her sister.

"Morning Tay," Natasha replied, with Clint echoing her.

"Would you girls with some fruit with your pancakes? I have strawberries and bananas cut up." Natasha asked, already knowing that Taylor would have some and Kinsley would refuse.

"No thanks, Mommy." Kinsley predictably refused.

"Kins, you should have some fruit. I'm going to have some." Clint said.

"Yes please Mom." Taylor requested.

Clint had grabbed some fruit and put some on his plate and his younger daughter's plate along with her pancakes, which already had maple syrup on. He shared a glance with Natasha as Taylor replied, her impeccable manners were left over from her time with the Dursley's. Apart from that time a few months back when she had started testing them, to see if they would live up to their word.

However after she was satisfied that they wouldn't hurt her or abandon her manners had returned and her room was always tidy, even when she would play with her toys they were always put away by bedtime.

After giving Taylor some fruit, Natasha sat down and ate her own breakfast, when they were all done Clint and Natasha got up to sort out the breakfast dishes.

"Girls, go and get dressed please. Call if you need any help." Clint told them.

"Okay Dad." Taylor agreed.

"Yes Daddy." Kinsley shouted, already running out of the kitchen.

"Kinsley, please don't run in the house." Natasha called after her, rolling her eyes at her younger daughter's exuberance.

"Sorry Mommy!" Kinsley shouted back.

Natasha sighed, "I'm not going to win with her am I? I tell her not to do one thing, then she goes and does another thing she know that she isn't supposed to do." She murmured to Clint.

"She's four Tasha, it's normal." Clint said, laughing at Natasha's pretend upset face at his words.

"Is it all still okay with Taylor's Christmas present?" Natasha asked, changing the subject.

"Yes, Bobbi is going to pick it up a week before Christmas and keep it until the 25th. She will bring it with her when she comes over on the day Maria, Melinda and Phil got her presents to go with it, so we will be all sorted." Clint confirmed.

It was only a couple of weeks until Christmas and both of the girls were excited, Kinsley had a list a mile long like she had done last year. They had already got both of the girl's presents sorted out, so now it was just a case of making sure neither of them found the ones that were in the apartment.

"Mommy? I need help with my dress… please." Kinsley called from her room.

"Okay, I'm coming Kins." Natasha replied walking out of the room toward Kinsley's room.

* * *

_**December 2007, Barton-Romanoff Apartment, Living Room, 14:09**_

* * *

"Snap!" Taylor said happily looking down at the cards that were between her and Kinsley.

Kinsley huffed but pulled the pile of cards towards her and restarted the game, "I am still going to beat you Tay." She said with all her four year old stubbornness.

"Okay, if you say so Kins," Taylor said teasingly.

Natasha and Clint were sitting on the couch watching the girls play, this was what they had hoped for ever since Taylor had been found. She was so much better but she was still having some difficulties, this was just proving how much she had improved. Their children's childish giggling was interrupted by Natasha's phone ringing, both girls looked at their parents. They knew that quite a lot of the time phone calls would mean one of their parents going away for an unknown amount of time. What with Christmas so close this made them more nervous than normal.

"Romanoff," Natasha answered.

"_I need you to come in. There is a mission that has just come up and it needs someone with your skill set Natasha, I'm sorry I know you were hoping to have this time off." _Came Nick Fury's voice.

"I understand, I will be on base soon." Natasha agreed.

"_The mission should finish before Christmas Romanoff." _Fury said before hanging up, not giving her a chance to reply.

"I'm sorry girls, I have to go into work. But I have been told that I should be finished before Christmas, I will do everything I can to get back okay?" Natasha explained to her daughters, who were both watching her unhappily.

"I don't want you to go Mommy." Kinsley said, coming over and hugging her.

"I know you don't sweetheart, I have to go and help people you know that it is important." Natasha explained, again this was something that both she and Clint had told their children before.

"Can't someone else do it, just this time Mom?" Taylor asked quietly from where she had moved to lean against her Dad's side on the sofa, this also proved just how far she had come since being back with her parents.

"No Tay, not this time. My skills are a bit different from everyone else and Nick, you remember him? He needs my skills to do this job." Natasha told her gently, going over to hug her eldest.

"Yes I remember him." Taylor replied.

"Okay, I have to go get ready." Natasha said, getting up and leaving the room.

"Girls wait here, I need to go speak to your Mommy quickly. Maybe you can play the rest of your game?" Clint suggested, then left to go and join Natasha in their room.

* * *

_**December 2007, Barton-Romanoff Apartment, Master Bedroom, 14:32**_

* * *

"Hey Tasha, do you think you will be back in time?" Clint asked after closing the door to their room.

"I don't know, I don't have any details yet… just that Fury wants me in now and he said that the mission should be over before Christmas." Natasha told him, checking her gun.

"I'm sure it will work out Tasha." Clint said.

"I don't want to miss this Clint, it is Taylor's first Christmas with us. Hell it is basically her first Christmas full stop as the Dursley's didn't let her celebrate Christmas!" Natasha exclaimed, checking her go bag before zipping it closed.

"Tasha! Focus, it will be okay. You'll do this mission and get back home in one piece before Christmas, but you need to focus, I don't want to have you come home injured. Taylor and Kinsley will be fine while you are away, I promise." Clint told her firmly.

Natasha took a breath and then nodded, "Okay, the quicker I go the quicker I can get back." Natasha agreed and then headed out the door of their room.

* * *

_**December 2007, Barton-Romanoff Apartment, Hallway, 14:41**_

* * *

"I love you girls, I will do my best to be back for Christmas okay? You two be good for your Dad please?" Natasha requested, hugging first Kinsley and then Taylor.

"I will try Mommy." Kinsley said seriously.

Taylor just nodded in agreement, "Be careful Mommy." She asked.

"I know you will Kins and yes Tay I will be very careful. See you later Clint." Natasha said before going out the door and heading for her car to drive to the nearest SHIELD base.

* * *

**I am so sorry that it has been so long since I have updated this story! I have just seen that it has been almost a whole year! My life has been super busy, but now life normal life has basically ground to a halt so I am hoping to get some more chapters out soon.**

**Anyway I hope you enjoyed this chapter, I would love to hear what you think Taylor's Christmas present will be and if Natasha will make it back for Christmas?**

**Firefly**


	8. 8

**I don't own the Avengers or Harry Potter.**

**I do own my OC, please don't use her or copy her character.**

**Warning this fic will be AU and will be Fem Harry, there will also be Bad!Dumbledore and Dumbledore and most of the Weasley's bashing. I would also like to thank Aeroza for being the Beta Reader for this story.**

**But Fem Harry is not a horcrux in this fic.**

**Each chapter will be between 1500 and 2500 words long.**

* * *

**Previously**

Taylor just nodded in agreement, "Be careful Mommy." She asked.

"I know you will Kins and yes Tay I will be very careful. See you later Clint." Natasha said before going out the door and heading for her car to drive to the nearest SHIELD base.

* * *

**There is Always Hope - Chapter 8**

* * *

_**24th December 2007, Barton-Romanoff Apartment, Living Room, 11:56**_

* * *

Two weeks. That was how long it had been since Natasha had left for her mission, both Taylor and Kinsley had been getting more and more nervous that their Mom wouldn't be back for Christmas as more time passed. Their Aunts and Uncle had come round a few times to help keep them entertained, and go on a shopping trip to get presents for each other and their parents.

It was now Christmas Eve and Clint had got the girls set up with a Christmas movie in the living room, while he was talking to Maria Hill on the phone to see if she knew anything about Natasha's status.

"Maria, you have got to know something." Clint stated frustrated.

"_I know many things Clint. But I'm not in the know about Natasha's current mission, I do however know Natasha and I know that she will do whatever it takes to get back to you and her girls." _Maria told him calmly.

"Okay, you are still coming round tomorrow aren't you?" Clint asked.

"_Of course I wouldn't miss Christmas with my favourite girls." _Maria said, carefully making sure that nobody would know what she was talking about if they overheard her.

"Great, see you tomorrow Maria." Clint replied.

"_Will do."_ Maria agreed before hanging up.

"Daddy? Is Mommy going to be home?" Kinsley asked uncertaintly.

"I hope so, Kins, but try not to worry your Mom is good at pulling off the impossible." Clint assured his younger daughter.

"Mom promised she would do everything she could to get back, so she will do everything to get back." Taylor added.

"Yes she will." Clint said, nodding.

* * *

_**24th December 2007, SHIELD Base, Director Fury's Office, 15:26**_

* * *

"Mission complete Agent Romanoff?" Nick Fury questioned.

Natasha had been on a short term undercover mission in Tibet, there was a science lab there that was doing illegal experiments and she had been sent in to confirm it and get evidence.

It had turned out that she had to blow up the lab to destroy all that they were working on, however they had got all the people out before that and the three head scientists had been taken into SHIELD custody. The other lab personnel had been debriefed and then released, on the condition that they didn't talk about what happened in the lab.

"Yes Sir, the three scientists in charge of the lab are in SHIELD custody and are being questioned as we speak. The other lab personnel are also being questioned before being cleared and released." Natasha reported.

"Very good Agent. I think this means that you can get home for Christmas." Fury dismissed.

"Thank you Nick." Natasha said gratefully, before turning and leaving the office and then the base to go home.

* * *

_**24th December 2007, Barton-Romanoff Apartment, 16:10**_

* * *

Natasha smiled as she opened the door to their apartment and heard the sounds of her daughters playing with Clint, she had texted him when she left the base to let him know that she would be home soon, but not to tell the girls as she wanted it to be a surprise.

"Hey guys! I'm home," Natasha called walking into the living room.

The reaction was instant, both Taylor and Kinsley jumped up from the game they were playing and ran over to greet her, with hugs and excited exclamations.

"Mommy you're home, and you got here before Christmas!" Kinsley shouted happily.

"I knew you would be back in time Mom." Taylor said, though inside she hadn't been sure until their Mom had walked into the room.

"Of course I am, I couldn't miss this! Christmas is the most exciting holiday of the year, right Clint?" Natasha stated glancing at her partner.

"That's right." Clint agreed.

"So what would you girls like to do now?" Natasha asked them.

"Can we make Christmas decorations together?" Taylor questioned.

"Of course we can Tay, you think you would like to make decorations as well, Kins?" Clint questioned, while Natasha nodded in agreement.

"Yes!" Kinsley agreed eagerly.

After an hour of making decorations, which Clint left early to start making dinner, then having dinner and finally Clint and Natasha decided to allow the girls to watch a film before going to bed. Persuading both girls to go to bed was harder than usual, but after forty five minutes, of wanting more stories or a glass of water. Kinsley had even pretended to need to go to the toilet as an attempt to get out of bed, but eventually they were both asleep in bed.

"We should be prepared for an early wake up call tomorrow." Clint muttered to Natasha as they went into their room for the night.

"Agreed, it will be a long day tomorrow." Natasha sighed.

They had already put the presents that were wrapped up and had been hidden around the house under the Christmas tree after Taylor and Kinsley had gone to sleep. Now all that was left to do was sleep and wait until the morning when Kinsley no doubt would wake them up before 07:00 in the morning.

* * *

_**25th December 2007, Barton-Romanoff Apartment, Taylor's Room, 06:24**_

* * *

The door to the room burst open and Kinsley darted into her older sister's room and took a running leap onto her bed, Taylor shot up, surprised at being woken up so suddenly.

"Wake up Tay, wake up! It's Christmas!" Kinsley said, quickly and excitedly.

Blinking a couple of times and then rubbing her eyes to get the sleep out of them, Taylor slowly registered what her younger sister was going on about and why she had been shocked out of sleep so quickly.

"Merry Christmas Kins," Taylor said with a smile.

Kinsley nodded and then grabbed her sister's hand to start pulling her out of bed, "Come on, we need to go and wake Mommy and Daddy up."

"Okay, I'm coming." Taylor agreed with the excitement of the day starting to get to her.

The sisters left Taylor's room and headed for their parents room with Kinsley leading the way in and jumping onto their parents bed just like she had with Taylor.

"Mommy, Daddy wake up it's Christmas!" Kinsley told them.

"Merry Christmas Kinsley, and you to Taylor." Clint greeted, smiling at his daughters, spotting Taylor standing uncertaintly at the bottom of the bed.

"Merry Christmas," Natasha echoed her partner, "You know you can come up on the bed if you want to Taylor." Natasha offered, leaving it up to her if she wanted to come up with them.

Though most of the time Taylor was now a well adjusted 7 year old, it was seemingly small things like this that would give away what had happened to her. It still hurts to see her daughter so confused or surprised by somethings that were so simple and normal to them, like that she didn't just automatically come to them for comfort or help when she had a nightmare or hurt herself, she would just try to deal with it herself.

After they had found this out they had kept an even closer eye on her and had asked Bobbi, Maria, Melinda and Phil to do the same when they were with her. Their friends had agreed easily and now slowly Taylor started to come to them sometimes, but not all the time.

Taylor nodded and carefully got up on the bed next to her Mom, "Merry Christmas Mom, Dad." She said softly but happily.

"Yes it is, however exactly what time is it that you have woken us up on this Christmas morning?" Clint asked teasingly.

"I don't know Daddy… but it is morning and it's Christmas so it doesn't matter. It would be a good time to have presents, and breakfast." Kinsley added as an afterthought.

"Oh really, is it?" Natasha said, turning and reaching over Taylor as she did to get her phone to check just what the time was, "Well it is 06:35, at least you waited until after 06:00 Kinsley." Natasha told them with a smile.

"Well I guess that means it is time to get up for us to get and have some food and then I think that presents will be in order." Clint stated, getting up out of bed.

The morning progressed with breakfast first and then presents being opened, Taylor had been given books, a couple of games and a new set of clothes. While Kinsley got a new doll, a puzzle, a couple of films and a new set of clothes.

Natasha and Clint explained to Taylor that she would be getting her main present a bit later when their Aunts Bobbi, Maria and Melinda and Uncle Phil got here later.

* * *

_**25th December 2007, Barton-Romanoff Apartment, Living Room, 12:00**_

* * *

Maria Hill, Melinda May and Phil Coulson had just arrived at their friends house and were immediately pulled into a game with said friend's two daughters. They were just waiting for the last member of their extended family and Taylor's other godmother, one Bobbi Morse, then they would be opening more presents before having Christmas dinner.

"When is Aunty Bobbi going to get here? There are presents that need to be opened." Kinsley whined.

She had been waiting to open her presents from her aunts and uncle since they had got here twenty minutes ago, and this was an eternity for a four year old that was excited for presents.

"Kinsley, just be patient a little bit longer please." Clint said firmly for the third time since their friends had got here, said friends rolled their eyes and tried not to laugh.

Taylor had glanced up from where she was sitting with her Aunt Melinda showing her one of the books she had got for Christmas, when her sister started up her pleading again. She still couldn't help but think of what the Dursleys would have done to her if she had behaved like that, although she knew in her heart that her parents would never hurt her, her brain wouldn't let her behave like that.

Any further discussions were stopped when there was a knock on the door that Natasha got up to answer, Bobbi was on the other side of the door with Taylor's main Christmas present.

"Do you want me to take her?" Natasha asked, seeing as her friend had some much stuff in her arms.

"Please." Bobbi said, handing over the squirming bundle that had a red and green bow tied lightly around its neck.

"Come on, we should get in there before one either Kinsley or Taylor come looking for us, you know it's no secret that you are Taylor's favourite aunt despite her claiming she doesn't have favourites." Natasha commented with a laugh.

The two women walked back into the living room with Bobbi going first to pull the attention away from Natasha. Taylor was the first one up to greet her closely followed by her sister.

"Aunty Bobbi, Merry Christmas. We have been waiting for you." Taylor said, hugging her aunt after she had put her things down on the couch.

"Hey Tay, hi Kinsley, have you two had a good day so far?" Bobbi asked.

"Yes! We got really good presents, but Mommy and Daddy said that you were bringing Tay's main present with you." Kinsley informed her aunt.

"That I did, you want to get your present now Taylor?" Bobbi questioned.

"Yes please." Taylor requested.

Bobbi glanced back at Natasha who had put the puppy down on the floor and directed her towards her older daughter, Taylor's eyes widened when she saw the adorable black puppy making it's way toward her.

"Is it really mine?" Taylor asked uncertaintly, stroking the puppy.

"Wow! You got a puppy for Christmas Tay." Kinsley called, from where Clint was holding her on his lap so she didn't crowd the puppy.

"Yes she is really yours Taylor, she's a german shepherd. We thought that she would make a good companion for you as well as some extra protection for you when she is older." Clint explained.

"What are you going to call her Taylor?" Phil asked curiously, he knew that some children named things very interesting things sometimes and he was hoping that this puppy wouldn't end up with a name like Fluffy…

Taylor thought about it carefully, she had been reading one of her books on languages her Mom and Aunt May were teaching her Russian and Mandarin, and there was one name that stood out as a perfect name for this puppy.

"Alexis, it means protector of mankind, but is a bit of a mouthful so I'm going to call her Lexi. As she has been bought to protect me it only makes sense for her to have a name to suit that." Taylor decided, the newly named Lexi looked up at her curiously and licked her fingers.

"That's a very good name, I think she likes it." Maria agreed, grinning at her goddaughter. It had been her and Melinda that questioned whether or not it was the best idea to get her a puppy when she was only seven years old, but she could see that this would be good for Taylor and it was one of Clint's more successful seemingly insane ideas.

After the excitement of Lexi had died down and Kinsley and Taylor had opened their presents from their aunts and uncle, Taylor's were all to help with Lexi. Bowls for food and water, a bed, treats, a couple of dog toys, a lead and collar. It was time for Christmas dinner, it was a wonderful meal and more than anyone had hoped for at the beginning of the year their family was finally complete.

* * *

**I hope this was okay and everyone enjoyed it, I know that some people will question the sense in giving a seven year old a puppy and in real life I wouldn't recommend it or do it. But in this I decided to do it because Taylor is mentally more mature than most seven year olds because of what she has been through.**

**And though her parents gave her the puppy as present she is going to be more of an emotional support dog to help Taylor adjust more and feel safe, I will find a way to make this clear in the story in a later chapter.**

**If you have any questions or comments then you can review or PM me, but no Flames please, constructive criticism only thank you. Until the next chapter.**

**Firefly**


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